Adventure Therapy

Adventure therapy is a form of experiential therapy that started back in the late 1950s.

With this form of outdoor therapy, you’ll benefit from a combination of nature and community therapy while performing a range of exhilarating activities

What Is Adventure Therapy?

Adventure-based therapy was first rolled out in 1962 with the Outward Bound program, a new deployment of mental health resources intended to reduce the occurrence of substance abuse, behavioral issues and mental health problems in the program’s participants.

The core goal of adventure therapy is to improve your physical and emotional wellbeing through the powerful healing properties of the wild, recreational activities, and evidence-based experiential therapies.

Since the 1960s, adventure therapy has been widely used as part of comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment plans. This analysis of adventure therapy research concludes that outdoor adventure therapy can improve social, physical, and mental well-being.

You engage with a variety of activities in an outdoor setting – more on these below.

While the activities might seem initially challenging, they are all chosen to be low-risk. Although beneficial to get out of your comfort zone, the object of adventure therapy is not to throw you into situations where you’ll feel unsafe.

These activities are supported by various evidence-based therapies. You’ll draw upon the surrounding environment as you engage with problem-solving activities, trust games, and co-operative tasks.

Following each activity, you’ll meet as a group to discuss what unfolded. Facilitators will help you to internalize the whole experience and then tie it into your therapeutic goals.

You can undertake adventure therapy in either a group or family setting.

Adventure Therapy Benefits

Adventure therapy, when used as part of an integrated treatment plan, can return many benefits, including the following: 

• Sharpening interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Promoting a sense of responsibility
• Improving self-awareness
• Building confidence
• Alleviating the symptoms of depression
• Developing more positive relationships
• Cooperating with others
• Raising resiliency
• Honing communication skills
• Conflict resolution
• Encouraging emotional openness
• Increasing engagement with therapist
• Building self-esteem
• Fostering stress management and coping skills
• Encouraging self-reflection
• Improves overall personal development 

Adventure Therapy Programs

Most decent rehabs will offer some form of experiential adventure therapy to complement evidence-based treatment programs.

All forms of holistic rehab can strengthen the progress made through medication-assisted treatment and psychotherapy.

Adventure-Based Therapy Activities

Here are some of the most common adventure therapy activities: 

• Surfing
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Paddle boarding
• Caving
• Rock climbing
• Caving
• Swimming
• White water rafting
• Rafting
• Camping
• Skiing
• Orienteering

Adventure Therapy Programs in California

California adventure therapy can be beneficial whether you’re recovering from alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, mental health disorders, or co-occurring disorders. 

When you embrace structured outdoor activities as part of a broader treatment plan, especially in an environment as exhilarating as California, you should find your overall well-being improves as you kickstart and consolidate your recovery.

Reach out for more information